Display apparatus.



(1,0. GULAOK. DISPLAY APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED JAN. 10. 1911.

3 262, Patented 112x28, 1911.

WITNESSES mvsmon f8 GILBERT O. GULACK, OF SAN DTEGO, CALIFORNIA.

DISPLAY APPARATUS;

Specification of Letters Patent, Patented fllali'; 28 .1911.

Application filed January 10, 1911'. Serial No;.601,774

1b al i'wiiom it may concern:

Be. it ltnow'nthat I GiLr-ERT O. GULACK," acitizen of the 'United States, residing at San .Diego, in the county of San. Diego and- State of California, have invented a new and useful Display Apparatus, of which the following is. a specification.

. My invention relates to a display apparatus for the exhibition of goods, merchandise, and the like, its purposes being'the provision of simple and eflicient apparatus of new and novel construction, whereby the operator may bring a series of shelves, racks,

iWlllGllby the nature thereof are required to be kept in a closed receptacle.

trays, or cabinets, into a position easy ofaccess from the floor or from. the display counten My invention is more particularly a'device: in which a series of shelves or display racks are suspended from a pair of chains whichare carried by sprocket wheels arranged in pairs'o'n a horizontal axis, the arrangesprocket wheels are connected to sprocket ment of chains and sprocket wheels being suchthat the shelves are raised and lowered vertically, means being providedwhereby the shelves may be-operated by the appli cation of power from a hand wheel, and means being provided whereby the hand wheel mechanism may be disengaged and the shelves operated directly by the use of the operators hands.

Other objects and advantages are, a means for moving goods and merchandise from one floor to another without disturbing the shelves or the contents thereof, or the arrangement ofgoods thereon, the ease and rapidity with which the contents-of the top or any other shelf may be placed for examination by a prospective customer. being an especial feature of this invention. By this arrangement or device a more compact arrangement of goods may be secured andamuch larger quantity of goods may be carried 1n accordance with the floorspace than in stores where counters and rigid shelving is used .These and other objects and advantages are attained by the application of the invention embodied in this device, substantially as herein illustrated, described, and claimed.

Referring to the drawing which accompanies and forms a part of this,v specification, numeral 1', designates the horizontal shafts, which are rotatably mounted in bearings 2,

carried by brackets 3, and. upon which large sprocket wheels 4:, are mounted. These chains .5, which are arranged to move n avert-'ical' plane,'and carry a seriesof suspended shelves 6, which may thereby be adjusted vertically for the display of goods and merchandise. These display shelves may consist ofa plain and level platform,

or may be provided withawall 7,-upon the back and sides thus forming a tray, or in place of a platform shelf, a rack 8, may be substituted, whereby dry-goods and -d'ress goods may be displayed" to better-advam t-age. The shelves may carry closed boxes or cabinets 9; for the handling-of goods whereby the shelvesmay swing freely ina suspended position, a series of rods 1 0,"c on- I nect the two chains and; the shelves are-pivotally connected to these rods. 1

Guide wheels 11, are mountedbnthe rear corners of the shelves and are adapted to travel in channel irons 12,"ther eby keeping the shelves in a horizontal position regardless of the position of theweights: ori'g'oods disposed thereon. A space in 'the'upper end of'each channel iron is provided for the passage of rods 10, and a series'of guide" wheels 13, are provided which are arranged vertically above guide wheels 11 Guide rails 14,

engage with wheels- 13, thereby keeping the shelves in alinement, and causingthe guide wheels 11, to cross. the space between the ends of the channel irons and reenga-ge therewith.

As a means of, operating the shelves, I provide a large worm-wheel 15, on the lower horizontal shaft 1, the worm-wheel meshing with worm 16, carried by a horiz 'ontalshaft 17, which is mounted in an eccentric bearing 18, the worm shaft 17, having a geared connection 19, with a verticallymounted shaft 20, which is provided with hand wheels 21, whereby the shelves may be broughtinto the desired position by the application. of hand power to the hand wheels. This-arrangement of a worm-wheel and worm co'11-.

stitutes a brake whereby the shelves may be held in position, and means for releasing the brake are employed, whereby the operator may the more quickly operate the shelves-by; simply grasping the shelves with the hands-f and raising and lowering them. This is ac- 'complished by--' the eccentric bearing- 18, which is operatedby a rack 22, having con- 1 nectionjwith a shaft -23,'the same being oper- By the application of the mechanical means as shown, the apparatus may be used for the handling of large quantities of goods or merchandise in a successful manner;

From the foregoing description it will be seen that simple and eflicient means are herein provided for accomplishing the objects of the invention, but while the elements shown .and described are-well adapted to serve the purposes for which they are intended, it is to be understood that the invention is not limitednto the precise construction as set forth, but includes Within its purview such changes as may be made within the scope ofthe appended claims, and such modifications as may be made without departing fromfthe spirit of the invention.

I claim as my invention: 1. In a device as described, the combination of sprocket wheels and chains, display shelves suspended from the chains, shafts carrying the sprocket wheels, means for keeping the shelves in alinement, a brake wheel on the lewer sprocket wheel shaft, adapted to engage with a worm, a shaft mounted in an eccentric bearing, means for rotating the bearing comprising a toothed portion on said bearing, a rack engaging therewith, means for operating said rack with floor buttons, and a worm on the end of the eccentrically mounted shaft, whereby the shelves may be released and operated for the purpose of displaying goods from each shelf at one counter.'

2. In a device as described, a shaft carrying sprocket wheels and a worm wheel, sprocket wheels carried by another parallel shaft, chains carried by the sprocket wheels, display shelves suspended from the chains, a shaft, having a wormon one end engaging esaeea with the worm wheel, and a vertical shaft mounted at a substantially right angle thereto having geared connection therewith, and carrying hand wheels at one or more points, whereby the shelves may be operated from one ormore floors, substantially as shown.

3. In combination with two or more floors of a building having a passage way from one floor to the other, sprocket wheels upon horizontal shafts mounted at the upper and lower ends of the passage way, chains carried by the sprocket wheels, displayshelves suspended from the chains, means whereby the shelves may be brought into the desires position by the application of power to a hand wheel, and means whereby the hand wheel mechanism may be disengaged, 'for the .purpose of directly operating the shelves at the will of the operator.

4:; I1'1 a movable display apparatus as described, the application of a wormwheel and worm as a brake, means for releasing the worm, and means for operating the same for adjustment of the shelves, substantially as shown and set forth.

5. In a display apparatus, the combination of shafts, bearings for said shafts, supports for the bearings, a pair of sprockets mounted on each shaft, chains which travel over the sprockets, shelves suspendedfrom the chains, rods connecting the chains and forming pivot bearings for the shelves, guide wheels mounted on the rear corners of the shelves, channel ions in which the guide wheels operate, a large worm wheel mounted on the lower sprocket wheel shaft, a worm which is adapted to mesh with the worm wheel, a horizontally mounted shaft carrying the worm, an electric motor, means whereby the motor operates the worm shaft, and switches electrically wired to the motor whereby the apparatus may be operated and controlled from any floor or counter reached by the apparatus, substantially as shown and described.

In testimony whereof, affix my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

GILBERT O. GULAOK.

\Vitnesses:

F. M, KEENEY, J. W ll [ASTER- 

